Jamaal Howard, a 46-year-old death row inmate, was executed in Texas on Wednesday evening, becoming the first person in the United States to be put to death since Christa Pike survived a botched lethal injection last week. Howard received a fatal dose of pentobarbital at the state prison in Huntsville and was pronounced dead at 8:03 p.m. local time.
Crime and conviction
Howard was convicted of capital murder in the 2000 killing of Vickie Swartout, 42, who was shot once in the chest during a store robbery. Evidence presented at trial included the store's surveillance video showing Howard shooting Swartout. At the time, Howard was 20 years old and took $114 and a carton of cigarettes from the store in Silsbee, a small rural town about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northeast of Houston, according to court records.
Legal challenges before execution
Because Texas planned to inject the same drug used in Pike's attempted execution, pentobarbital, Howard's attorneys argued to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals that the drug poses similar risks. They also raised concerns about the quality of the state's execution drugs. The court denied the stay request without elaboration.
Prior to his execution, Howard's attorneys also argued that he is intellectually disabled and that his execution should be halted. The state said he had not presented evidence showing he meets the requirements for a claim of intellectual disability.
Final hours and statement
On Wednesday, Howard was described as “chatty” during the 45-mile (70-kilometer) drive from the death row prison to the Huntsville Unit, said Amanda Hernandez, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. “He made small talk with the officers through the whole trip,” she said. Once inside the Huntsville prison, he was taken to a small holding cell near the death chamber and remained talkative. “He was asking questions and was very engaged in the process,” Hernandez said.
Asked by the warden if he had a final statement, Howard apologized profusely to members of his victim's family who watched through a window a few feet from him.
Context of Pike's failed execution
Howard's death comes against the backdrop of last week's failed attempt to execute Christa Pike in Tennessee. The 50-year-old survived after officials administered two sets of syringes containing pentobarbital during the September 30 procedure. Pike was later taken to hospital, where her lawyers revealed this week that she had regained consciousness and was able to speak. Her legal team said the failed execution caused severe damage to her arms after officials repeatedly struggled to establish IV access. They claimed the lethal drug entered surrounding tissue instead of being properly delivered into her bloodstream, leaving her with swelling, burns and blistering.
Pike's attorneys said: “Against all odds, Christa Pike is conscious, speaking, and continues to receive critical medical care. Despite the severe damage she endured to her arms, she is still handcuffed and shackled to the bed. Her recovery is medically unprecedented. Her prognosis remains unclear but, at a minimum, we expect a long recovery.”
Texas has executed six people so far this year, with two more lethal injections scheduled after Howard. He is the 30th person executed nationwide in 2026.
